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Hillsboro city council debated the outcome of the Ash St. plumbing project at Monday’s meeting.

City administrator Larry Paine said the overall cost for the project would be $25,000, with some extra for unanticipated expenses.

The project would allow the city to build a sewer line in the alley flowing from 2nd St. to 3rd St., and connect three houses south of vacant lots to the new sewer line.

Paine said that if there were to be problems with the sewer lines in front of the three houses, the owners would be required to connect to the new sewer in the alley.

“I make a recommendation that you authorize us to move ahead on that project that keeps us from having a building over the top of a functioning sewer line, which is something we do not like,” Paine said.

Council members voiced several concerns during the meeting, including the fact that if the city were to build sewer lines across private property, the owners would then be responsible for their maintenance.

Mayor Delores Dalke told Paine that she was confused by all of what was entailed with the project.

“I thought I understood all of this before I came here,” Dalke said, “but it’s kind of muddled up. I would just hate to own one of those houses there.”

Councilman Bob Watson suggested tabling the issue, but Paine was adamant about getting a vote.

Paine said that the manhole covers already were ordered, and was scheduled to begin at the end of February.

“I want to have the authority to spend that money,” Paine said.

Watson moved to approve the proposal “with the understanding that we’re examining costs of connecting those three houses to the alley.”

Council members voted to move ahead with the project.

Numbers and further action will be decided at the next city meeting.

In other business:

City council approved the addition of Corey Unruh to the fire department.

Paine discussed his trip to Topeka for government day and talked about a bill addressing the tax lid.“It’s made it almost impossible for local government to be in existence,” Paine said.